As a single mum, there will usually be times where processes involved in making arrangements for your child can be more complicated. For example, reaching an agreement on custody, deciding which school your child will attend and many other regular decisions may require lots of negotiation or even legal intervention.
Another situation that can prove to be more challenging is travelling abroad with your child as a single parent, particularly if you do not have the same surname as your child.
If you are worried about added complications when travelling abroad with your child, understanding the different documents that you might need and what the job is for each one will help you to gather everything you need and avoid potential issues.
Passport
For international air or ferry travel, all travellers including children of all ages, are required to have a valid passport and this will be checked by security at both the country you are leaving and the arrival country. If you have the same surname as your child, the passport alone may be adequate but you may also be asked to provide a consent letter signed by the other parent to confirm that they have provided permission for travelling with your child.
A child’s passport is valid for five years and the application for the passport will usually require details of both parents. To apply, you will need to provide the child’s birth certificate.
Birth Certificate
In England, a child’s birth must be registered within 42 days of being born. To register the birth, you will need to book an appointment at a register office in the district where the child was born.
As well as completing information related to the baby, the birth certificate will also include parents’ details such as names, birth places, occupations and addresses. If parents are not married and both are to be included on the birth certificate, usually both parents must attend the appointment. In the case where an unmarried mother wants to register the birth without including the other parent, these details can be left off the birth certificate.
When you are travelling across international borders with your child, taking the birth certificate will provide evidence of your relationship, which will be particularly important if you have a different surname to your child.
Some countries will request that you provide an apostille for a birth certificate, which confirms that the document is an authentic, legal document.
A birth certificate will be required when applying for the child’s first passport, applying for benefits or registering for healthcare where you need to provide proof of your relationship with the child.
Permission Letter
A permission letter, or a letter of consent to travel, is often required if only one parent is travelling with the child and another parent has parental responsibility. You may be asked to provide a consent letter to border officials, the airline or immigration authorities. The letter needs to be written by the other parent with details of the travel destination and dates, with a statement that confirms that they have provided consent for the child to travel with the other parent.
You will not usually require a permission letter if you are named as the person the child lives with on the Child Arrangements Order but you will generally be limited to 28 days out of the country without a permission letter from the other parent with parental responsibility.
In some cases, one parent may have a court order that allows them to take the child abroad without obtaining permission from the other parent. In this scenario, you should take your court order documents with you to provide evidence that you do not require a consent letter from the other parent when you are travelling.
If you do not have a court order and you are struggling to obtain a consent letter, either because you cannot get in contact with the other parent or they are refusing to provide a consent letter, you can apply to the Family Court for permission to take the child abroad.
Obtaining family documents such as a passport and birth certificate can be more challenging as a single mother but it is important that you have all the required documents if you want to travel across borders with your child. You may not be required to provide a permission letter but this can prevent you from facing issues when travelling abroad, so it is advisable to obtain one or to have alternative legal documents such as a court order, to take with you.